4th December

A crisp calm day, no wind and a sack full of prime lobworms, courtesy of Hounslow Angling, and its Hi Ho and off to the canal we go, my South African friend Le Roux. First light saw us creeping into position on one of favoured spots, but three hours later and only some chublets to Le Roux, we decided to change venue, as this spot gets very busy with walkers on sunny days. So, we retreated to a wilder, less well known spot. Le Roux dropped in to fish the mouth of a small stream entering the river, and I fished thirty yards above him, picking up the flow from where a stream that is something to do with the lock system enters the canal. Le Roux is an exceptionaly accurate caster (he fished for SA in the world championships held in Portugal a couple of years ago) and his ability to put his float fished bait hard in to the mouth of the stream was soon giving him the odd unmissable bite that he was missing!! This is not uncommon when using whole lobs hooked one through the head. Then, of the next two and a half hours, he removed Perch of 2lb 2oz, 2lb 12oz and 3lb 5oz, while I sat there with just one good bite which I missed! Can you believe it!!

RDAA is worth every penny!!